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Harnessing the power of the sun

Solar panels will be installed at three fire stations and two other fire and rescue service locations in Nottinghamshire next month, generating both power and income.

Work is expected to take place during March at:

Highfields Fire Station

Stockhill Fire Station

Mansfield Fire Station

Service training centre at Ollerton

Headquarters in Arnold.

Installation will take approximately two weeks at each site, and electricity could be generated from April onwards, making the service less reliant on buying energy, less vulnerable to price increases and more responsible in terms of reducing its carbon footprint. Any power generated that is surplus to requirements could be sold to the National Grid in the future.

Estates and Procurement Manager Ian Pritchard said: "This initiative offers great long-term benefits to the Service and to the environment, but it also has immediate appeal by generating electricity as soon as the panels are switched on.

"I expect to see this reflected in reduced energy bills and, eventually, an income derived from the government's feed-in power tariff scheme, helping us to become more efficient and self-sufficient."

Cllr Darrell Pulk, Chair of Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire Authority, said: "The service has a duty to protect the environment and reduce its carbon footprint and this is an exciting scheme which has the added benefit of helping to reduce our running costs."